Pune, India: A record number of 24 students received their Certificate of Achievement as India’s first Certificate in Greenkeeping (CIG) cohort completed their journey in fine style.

No fewer than 15 of the students at the Asian Golf Industry Federation (AGIF)-organised three-day Confirmation Course at Oxford Golf Resort scored a total grade of more than 90% across the board, encompassing practical/written assessments and oral presentations.

Led by Oxford Golf Resort’s Assistant Course Superintendent Amruta Pawar-Shinde, the top three students scored more than 97% with just 0.4% separating them.

Second place went to Suresh AM of Bengaluru’s Prestige Augusta Club, while Rashika Galagoda of Victoria Golf Club in Sri Lanka placed third.

Richard Walne, Chairman of the AGIF’s CIG committee, said: “Congratulations to all the students. Not only are we extremely happy with the results, but also how these students have blossomed since we met them a year ago.”

Amruta said she was shocked to learn she was overall top student. She spoke with the CIG team of the challenges she faces juggling the job she values at Oxford Golf Resort with being a wife and mother to a young child.

She also thanked her employer Oxford Golf Resort and her immediate reporting officers Kaushil Vora (Chief Operating Officer) and Atul Pawar (Course Superintendent) for their support.

As well as completing five assessments online throughout the year-long programme before they were eligible to join the group at Oxford Golf Resort, during the Confirmation Course students had to complete written assessments in Turf Botany, Surface Management, Rootzone Management and Pest and Disease Management, and five practical assessments in performance testing, identification of turf, disorders and weeds and soil texture.

On the final day of the Confirmation Course, they also had to orally present two topics of their choice to a panel of five markers who assessed them on their knowledge of the topics covered and their presentation techniques.

The Introductory Course was staged at Karma Lakelands on the outskirts of Delhi last December, while the students congregated at Bengaluru’s Prestige Golfshire Club for their Progression Course in April, 2024.

While exam scores were being tabulated at Oxford Golf Resort, attendees were given a tour of the golf course, including a visit to the maintenance complex where the topic of sulphur burner and the general application and usage of chemicals and fertilisers on golf courses was discussed.

“One of the CIG’s unique selling points is that throughout the year-long programme, our students get the opportunity to visit three different golf courses which are generally ‘out of bounds’, and to debate turfgrass practices,” said Walne, who thanked Anil Soelekar, Chairman of Oxford Group and Oxford Golf Resort, for his contribution.

“Our thanks go to Mr Soelekar for generously hosting and supporting the Confirmation Course by providing a training room on a complimentary basis, as well as supplying daily lunches,” added Walne.

As well as Galagoda from Sri Lanka, the group included two students from the Malaysia 2019 intake whose learning journey was disrupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We were overwhelmed by the response we received from clubs across the country to our first CIG programme in India. Our normal class size is 20, but we extended our India group to 24 because of the demand. It was a painful decision to restrict it to 24 individuals because we received many more registrations,” said Walne.

Due to the size of the class, additional assessors were required with Craig Parry (Consultant at TGMS Sports Surface Consultants), Ben McLean (Golf Course Superintendent at Prestige Golfshire Club) and AGIF Board Member and Member of the CIG Committee Henry Ng (Regional Manager Asia of Suståne Natural Fertilizer, all in attendance.

In partnership with The R&A and with programme delivery from the New Zealand Sports Turf Institute (NZSTI), the CIG was launched in 2018. The programme is supported by Education Partners Jacobsen, Jebsen & Jessen, John Deere, Syngenta and Toro.

*For further information about the Certificate in Greenkeeping programme or to express your interest in being part of a forthcoming CIG intake, please visit https://agif.asia/certificate-in-greenkeeping/ or email PK Ong, Greenkeeping Education Manager at the Asian Golf Industry Federation, at pkong@agif.asia